Walter Lloyd Phillips, age 90, of Heber Springs, Arkansas, passed away Tuesday, December 4, 2012, at his home. Born in Jackson County, Arkansas, on November 20, 1922, he was the son of the late Emmit and Lula Maude (Marr) Phillips.

Upon attending Williams Baptist College and graduating from Union University in Jackson, TN, and Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary in Berkley, CA, Rev. Phillips was pastor to two churches in California. He then answered God's call to serve God and country as a chaplain in the U.S. Army. He fulfilled this call on his life by serving as an active duty U.S. Army chaplain from 1957 to 1977. Rev. Phillips was stationed at Okinawa; Ft. Polk, Louisiana; South Korea; Ft. Baker, California; Vietnam; Ft. Benning, Georgia; Germany; and Ft. Ord, California. Upon his retirement from the U.S. Army as a Lieutenant Colonel, he pastored a church in El Cerrito, California, and was also a Head Master at Valley Christian Academy in Seaside, California. In 2006, he relocated to Heber Springs, Arkansas, where he was a member of the Heber Springs Baptist Church.

In addition to his parents, Rev. Phillips was preceded in death by his wife, Myrtie Esther Milligan Phillips.

He is survived by one son, Nathan L. Phillips of Heber Springs; two daughters, Verda M. Horton of Tampa, Florida, and Rebecca A. Herring of Ft. Worth, Texas; six grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

A celebration service for Rev. Phillips was held Friday, Dec. 7, at 10:00 a.m. at the Heber Springs Baptist Church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Heber Springs Baptist Church Building Fund.